C Frederik Gauthier (2013, 21st, TOR)

[Phion Keneuf]

impressed me a lot in leafs camp... who cares about his stats in junior...

 

[tfong]

The guy is going to be a Jiri Fischer, so stop looking at his offensive stats and just pay attention to his defensive zone and physicality.

Almost every single Toronto chat or scouting report said he wasn't drafted for his offensive skill (it just might be untapped, thats all) but they are pretty much looking for a lock for NHL in a bottom six capacity and anything better than that is a bonus.

 

[SchwenningerWildWing]

That reminds me a lot of what was said about Colton Gilies when he was drafted. And look what Gilies has become since his draft. Not that Gauthier is like Gilies but I don't know if using a 1st round pick on a bottom 6 role player is such a good idea.

 

[BondraTime]

The guy is going to be a Jiri Fischer, so stop looking at his offensive stats and just pay attention to his defensive zone and physicality.

Almost every single Toronto chat or scouting report said he wasn't drafted for his offensive skill (it just might be untapped, thats all) but they are pretty much looking for a lock for NHL in a bottom six capacity and anything better than that is a bonus.

Jiri Fischer was a defenseman.

Gauthier is a great prospect. He was drafted in the first round for a reason. With that said, he wasn't drafted for his offense, and any leaf fans who expect him to be an offensive catalyst are in for disappointment.

He was drafted because he is a big, shutdown defensive center who can skate. If he had any real offensive potential, he would have been a top 10 pick. If you get a third line center with his speed and size in the 20's, you are a happy scouting staff.

He is what he is, he is a square peg some of you are trying to fit into a round hole.

 

[Smif]

It seems like people don't want to hear about someone's stats unless they're doing well. I don't find anything wrong with someone posting his stats after 5 games, but I would have a problem with the poster if the next 5 games he did very well and that poster disappeared. Guess we'll have to see, I hope Gauthier steps it up...

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Jiri Fischer was a defenseman.

Gauthier is a great prospect. He was drafted in the first round for a reason. With that said, he wasn't drafted for his offense, and any leaf fans who expect him to be an offensive catalyst are in for disappointment.

He was drafted because he is a big, shutdown defensive center who can skate. If he had any real offensive potential, he would have been a top 10 pick. If you get a third line center with his speed and size in the 20's, you are a happy scouting staff.

He is what he is, he is a square peg some of you are trying to fit into a round hole.

This is a fair post, you are ok drafting at #21 a #3C shutdown, some are not. When drafting in the first rd, your only pick in the 1st 2 rds I think you should be shooting higher. Top 6 fwd or top 3 D man or top Goalie prospect.

A #3C is left for the later rds. The old wise adage of you can teach a kid to play defence, but you cannot teach a kid to score rings true here.

 

[Ace88*]

If he couldn't skate well then i'd be worried, but he already is a good skater and i'd say he could top out as a 50 point 2C. Obviously a 3C is more likely, and im starting to wish we had taken Shinkaruk, but im not complaining. Like i said many times, if you can produce an NHL regular in the 20-30 spot, you've already done what most can't.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

If he couldn't skate well then i'd be worried, but he already is a good skater and i'd say he could top out as a 50 point 2C. Obviously a 3C is more likely, and im starting to wish we had taken Shinkaruk, but im not complaining. Like i said many times, if you can produce an NHL regular in the 20-30 spot, you've already done what most can't.

Shinkaruk and Dickinson were 2 guys I would have considered. I view them having more upside than Gauthier.

Ideally If we could have added a 2nd pick within the first 52 picks by moving down from #21, I would have done that in hindsight.

There were a lot of good players available from Justin Bailey and down. All could contribute as much as a projected #3 shut down C.

 

[theIceWookie]

That reminds me a lot of what was said about Colton Gilies when he was drafted. And look what Gilies has become since his draft. Not that Gauthier is like Gilies but I don't know if using a 1st round pick on a bottom 6 role player is such a good idea.

It's been something the Leafs have done in recent years. Draft safer players late in the first (Percy/Biggs/Gauthier) who have some potential to be better, but are more likely going to be solid contributors to their team.

It's not terrible but it certainly doesn't add skill to a system (something the Leafs are currently lacking in the system).

However one of the biggest comparisons for Gauthier has been Hanzal. If you get that, you've hit a very nice player in the first round. I'll easily take that.

 

[QMJHLfollower]

This is a fair post, you are ok drafting at #21 a #3C shutdown, some are not. When drafting in the first rd, your only pick in the 1st 2 rds I think you should be shooting higher. Top 6 fwd or top 3 D man or top Goalie prospect.

A #3C is left for the later rds. The old wise adage of you can teach a kid to play defence, but you cannot teach a kid to score rings true here.

I don't get this. People d'ont seems to realize that quality 3rd line cneter are hard to find.If you can get a quality 3rd line center in the late 1st round, you take it. Guys like that win you games.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Teams will trade picks later in the first round for good 3rd line players to help for (sometimes just one) playoff run, yet drafting a guy like that and being able to sign him to a decent contract and play for your team or years potentially is stupid. Ok then.

You go for who you think the BPA is/will be. End of story. If you think the offensive player is more hit or miss, and that the well rounded but less offensive player can have an equal or greater impact down the road, then you take the well rounded/less offensive guy.

 

[7even]

I don't get this. People d'ont seems to realize that quality 3rd line cneter are hard to find.If you can get a quality 3rd line center in the late 1st round, you take it. Guys like that win you games.

What I don't get is pigeonholing a guy as a 3rd liner right from the get go. Were Bergeron or Kesler projected Selke-level 55+ point centres when they were drafted? Of course not. The only way you get one of those players is to draft one of those guys tagged with "limited offensive upside" and hope he beats the odds and develops.

 

[Sartorial]

Where's this idea that his ceiling is the 3rd line coming from?

 

[BiggestLeafsFanEVER*]

If he couldn't skate well then i'd be worried, but he already is a good skater and i'd say he could top out as a 50 point 2C. Obviously a 3C is more likely, and im starting to wish we had taken Shinkaruk, but im not complaining. Like i said many times, if you can produce an NHL regular in the 20-30 spot, you've already done what most can't.

I'd like to know what the Leafs reason for not picking Shinkaruk was because that is who I was hoping for.

 

[Sundinisagod]

Where's this idea that his ceiling is the 3rd line coming from?

I think our Director of player development (or similar title) projected him as such...

 

[Sundinisagod]

I'd like to know what the Leafs reason for not picking Shinkaruk was because that is who I was hoping for.

The obvious reason is that they felt Gauthier projects as the better player at the NHL level.

The speculative reason is that we don't have room for another smallish top 6 forward. I think our needs are big defensive center over a smallish 2nd line winger.

 

[SprDaVE]

I'm expecting much more offense from him this year. I haven't been able to watch any of his games so far but I've read some good reviews from his play despite his offense not showing up on the scoresheet.

Let's see if he can put it in gear.

 

[bcv]

The guy is going to be a Jiri Fischer, so stop looking at his offensive stats and just pay attention to his defensive zone and physicality.

Almost every single Toronto chat or scouting report said he wasn't drafted for his offensive skill (it just might be untapped, thats all) but they are pretty much looking for a lock for NHL in a bottom six capacity and anything better than that is a bonus.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

I'd like to know what the Leafs reason for not picking Shinkaruk was because that is who I was hoping for.

He has his doubters too. Either guy would have been okay with me. Shinkaruk is simply seen as a higher "risk" pick. I have no issue using late first rounders on safer selections. It's the later rounds where teams need to try and hit home runs as we've seen Detroit do time and time again.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

This is a fair post, you are ok drafting at #21 a #3C shutdown, some are not. When drafting in the first rd, your only pick in the 1st 2 rds I think you should be shooting higher. Top 6 fwd or top 3 D man or top Goalie prospect.

A #3C is left for the later rds. The old wise adage of you can teach a kid to play defence, but you cannot teach a kid to score rings true here.

You can't make a kid want to play defence. Offense is fun, defense is not. That's why a lot of kids score in junior and even the AHL but can't produce at the NHL level. If you don't really want to play defense, your probably not going to put a lot of effort into it. Teaching defense is not as easy as some people make it sound.

I'm going to let things pan out for at least a full season, probably two, before I make a really strong opinion about him. A lot can happen in a couple of years and an off year for a young, defensive minded center with great size and solid mobility, certainly isn't an ax to his career or potential as a quality hockey player. You are ready to call it quits on him if he has another 5 games likes this.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

You can't make a kid want to play defence. Offense is fun, defense is not. That's why a lot of kids score in junior and even the AHL but can't produce at the NHL level. If you don't really want to play defense, your probably not going to put a lot of effort into it. Teaching defense is not as easy as some people make it sound.

I'm going to let things pan out for at least a full season, probably two, before I make a really strong opinion about him. A lot can happen in a couple of years and an off year for a young, defensive minded center with great size and solid mobility, certainly isn't an ax to his career or potential as a quality hockey player. You are ready to call it quits on him if he has another 5 games likes this.

Not saying I am calling it quits on Freddy after 5 games, but 8 games in he is still looking for his first goal this season for Rimouski.

We know he can play defence, question always has been for him prior to the draft. Can he score at the NHL level.

 

[Maria Sharapova]

This is a fair post, you are ok drafting at #21 a #3C shutdown, some are not. When drafting in the first rd, your only pick in the 1st 2 rds I think you should be shooting higher. Top 6 fwd or top 3 D man or top Goalie prospect

A #3C is left for the later rds. The old wise adage of you can teach a kid to play defence, but you cannot teach a kid to score rings true here.

Our wingers are all locked up long term, the spot we have a hole in is #1C you're not likely to draft a #1C at 21 in the draft. There was no goalie in this draft who screamed top Goalie prospect and we would have had to move up to draft a top 3 D man unless you want to take a wild swing. Not like Gauthier was an off the board pick, you say it like he's a set in stone 3rd line C a few months after his draft year..

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Our wingers are all locked up long term, the spot we have a hole in is #1C you're not likely to draft a #1C at 21 in the draft. There was no goalie in this draft who screamed top Goalie prospect and we would have had to move up to draft a top 3 D man unless you want to take a wild swing. Not like Gauthier was an off the board pick, you say it like he's a set in stone 3rd line C a few months after his draft year..

Well I am expecting Gauthier to break out today, RIM is facing SHAW later today.

They are the worst team in the QMJHL with the poorest GA in the league. Perfect chance for Gauthier to break out.

 

[Porn*]

I'm quite happy with this pick. If gaunt hire could develop into a bigger backes... Cha ching

 

[BondraTime]

I'm quite happy with this pick. If gaunt hire could develop into a bigger backes... Cha ching

Not similar players whatsoever. Gauthier may be big, and great defensively, but physical he is not. At all.